Plumber&#39;s tool

ABSTRACT

A plumber&#39;s tool having a hand operated bulb at one end and an inflatable distal end with and intermediate smaller diameter hose portion for easy insertion into a water pipe or the like for repair thereof and the method of using same.

[0001] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document containsmaterial which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright ownerhas no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patentdisclosure as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patentfiles or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rightswhatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates generally to a plumber's tool of the typethat may be inserted into a pipe or conduit through a T-connection orvalve in order to seal the same so that a break in the conduit or pipecan be satisfactorily repaired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It becomes important in the everyday life of a plumber to be ableto solder, weld or otherwise repair a conduit or pipe which has a breakand wherein fluid usually under a little pressure needs to be maintainedaway from the break so that adequate repairs may be made.

[0005] In many instances of repair work it is necessary to wait anextended period of time, for example, where a break in a conduit or pipeis found at the lower elevation of the plumbing system, for water todrain in order to fix the break which wastes the time of the plumber andgreatly increases the cost of the plumbing repairs. In the past, aplumber having once ascertained where the break in the conduit or pipewas located, would shut off the water supply and have to wait until thewater drained from the system in order to be able to commence the repairwork which is very inefficient use of his time.

[0006] In the past various expedients have been suggested as, forexample, inflatable elements of one type or another being inflatable bya fluid such as water, or comprised rather elaborate and sophisticateddevices which have been either expensive to manufacture or complex tomaintain and operate.

[0007] While various apparatuses have been suggested of an inflatabletype none have been able to overcome the desiratum of a low cost, easilymaintained device that is light weight in character and relativelyinexpensive to employ in the repair of a fluid conduit or plumbing pipe.

[0008] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,863 to Lewis et al.:

[0010] This patent is directed to a pipe plugging apparatus for use instopping the flow of water or other fluids in a pipe during pipe repairand construction and comprises a hand-held pump and a complicatedhand-activated screw element for moving a piston for pushing water orother fluids within the pump.

[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,147 to Brusse et al.:

[0012] This patent is directed to an inflatable bladder valve includingan inflatable bladder for sealing large diameter piping ducts whereinprior to deployment the inflatable bladder is in the folded, deflatedstate and thereafter the bladder is inflated by action of a dislodgingof a plug so that the bladder inflates and seals the piping duct. It isa complicated and clumsy device not having the attributes of the presentinvention.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,659 to Durham:

[0014] This patent is directed to a device for retrieving small itemswhich have fallen into a residential drain wherein an elongate tubularportion having an inflatable pouch or balloon fixed at one end is placedinto the drain in the collapsed state and then upon inflation, theinflatable end expands to retrieve an item that is lost within thedrain.

[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 1,510,212 to Du Bois:

[0016] This patent is directed to a device that is used for cleaning outstopped up underground pipes and the like wherein through a complexassemblage an inflatable member allows for blow out air to be sent toact upon stoppage within the pipe in order to clear the stopped up drainpipe.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0017] It is a general object of the present invention to provide aplumber's tool which is relatively easy to manufacture and is of lowcost and wherein in order to prevent the backflow of fluid in a conduitor pipe allows for the insertion of the tool, the expansion of thedistal end so as to seal off a backflow of fluid to allow repair of thebroken conduit or pipe.

[0018] It is another object of the invention to provide a tool which iseasily operated and has a hand pump or other source of gas pressure inorder to inflate a distal end of the tool to seal off a conduit or apipe to allow repairs to be made.

[0019] It is still another specific object of the invention to provide atool that is useful in repairing conduits or pipes which is easilyinserted through a valve or other opening so as to be easily maniputablein the uninflated stated and yet upon inflation is easily an effectivelyused to block the flow of fluids so that repairs of the pipe or conduitmay be achieved.

[0020] It is another even more specific object of the invention toprovide a plumber's tool and method of using the same for effectuating arepair site that permits ease of pipe or conduit repair as by soldering,welding or the like.

[0021] These and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent from a review of the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the tool ofthe invention having a hand-manipulated bulb at one end with a one-wayvalve.

[0023]FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the tool of the inventionbeing inserted through a T-connector into a conduit or pipe having abreak which is to be repaired.

[0024]FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the tool of theinvention in the fluid blocking state; and

[0025]FIG. 4 is schematic representation of how the tool of theinvention may be connected to a can of air or gas for inflationpurposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0026] The detailed description set forth below in connection with theappended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferredembodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the onlyforms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized.The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps forconstructing and operating the invention in connection with theillustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the sameor equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by differentembodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spiritand scope of the invention.

[0027] Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of referencedesignate like elements throughout it will be seen that the tool 2 ofthe invention comprises an elongate portion 4 and an inflatable distalend 6 with the opposed end 8 being adapted for connection to a hand bulbor pump 10 through a one-way valve connector 12 which allows for passageof air, for example, from the bulb 10 through the interior of elongateportion 4 and into the inflatable section 6. The device 2 is made ofunitary construction in this particular instance of commercial gradesilicone rubber of high heat resistant character.

[0028] In operation and referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 the conduit or pipe20 has a break 22 which needs to be repaired and wherein back water orfluid designated by the arrows 24 is flowing through the conduit andobviously through the break 22 thereby making repairs impossible.However, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the device 2, and more specificallythe distal end 6, is threaded through T-connector 23 and placed inposition adjacent the break 22 and through hand pumping is inflated andthereby blocks the flow of water or other fluid in the area adjacent thebreak 22 so that welding, soldering or the like may take place.

[0029] In lieu of using the hand pump 10 a can of pressurized gas suchas 30 may be utilized as shown in FIG. 4 and wherein the device 32illustrates another embodiment where the distal end 34 is of a differentshape to be used for various purposes than the distal end 6 as shown inFIG. 1.

[0030] Obviously, the devices of the invention may comprise variousshapes and sizes it only being important that the materials ofconstruction and configuration be such that the tool may be inserted,for example, through a T-connector, a valve, an open port or otheraccessible valve entryway of the pipe or conduit so that the inflatableend may be positioned adjacent the break in the pipe or conduit. Furtherthose of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the elongateportion of the device may be of various lengths as well as the distalend which may be of different configuration, it only being importantthat the device be unitary in nature so as to prevent a tool fromdisassociating one part from the other to thereby lead toineffectiveness of the device.

[0031] A device as illustrated in the drawings has been built and hasbeen found to be satisfactory wherein the length of the elongate portion4 is approximately 24 inches having an outside diameter of 0.380 inchand an internal diameter of about {fraction (1/8)} inch. The distal,inflatable end is about 2 inches in length and having an outsidediameter of about 0.6 inch, a wall thickness of about 0.055 inch, anoutside diameter of about {fraction (1/2)} inch and an internal diameterof about 0.380 inch. The material of construction of the device is ofcommercial grade silicone rubber having a temperature resistant ratingof approximately 350°-400° Fahrenheit.

[0032] Those of ordinary skill in the art will of course recognize thatother materials of construction may be utilized as well as differentthicknesses and different materials just so long as the device isfabricated of a material that is heat resistant where welding orsoldering takes place and is of sufficient resiliency or flexibility toallow for ease of manipulation within and through a conduit or pipe sothat the same may be disposed adjacent the break in the pipe or conduitto be repaired and that the distal or inflatable end is easily inflatedto accomplish the end result.

[0033] Ideally, the device that has been constructed and utilizedemploys a hand bulb made of rubber such as 10 of the conventional typeusually found in the market place and employs a connector having aone-way valve so to permit air to flow only one way toward the distalend but which permits release of air by a pet cock or valve also ofconventional design to deflate the distal end as those of ordinary skillin the art will recognize.

[0034] While the present invention has been described with regards toparticular embodiments, it is recognized that additional variations ofthe present invention may be devised without departing from theinventive concept.

What is claimed is:
 1. A plumber's tool for use in a conduit having abreak therein comprising the combination of an elongate hose configuredmember having one end adapted to be connected to a source of gas and theother end being configured to fit within said conduit and adapted to beinflated to fill the internal volume of said conduit and to seal boththe internal volume of said conduit and the area adjacent said break andwherein said elongate hose configured member and said other end are ofintegral construction.
 2. The tool in accordance with claim 1 includinga hand-operated bulb connector pump for inflating said other end withambient air.
 3. The tool in accordance with claim 2 including a one-wayshut off valve in operable association with said hand operated bulbconnector.
 4. The tool in accordance with claim 1 wherein said source ofgas is a can of pressurized air.
 5. The tool in accordance with claim 3wherein said tool is fabricated of high temperature resistant rubber. 6.The tool in accordance with claim 5 wherein said high temperatureresistant rubber is of commercial grade silicone rubber and has atemperature rating of about 350°-450° Fahrenheit and has a wallthickness of about 0.055-0.060 inch at said other end and is easilyinflatable by hand.
 7. The method of effectuating repair in a water pipeor the like comprising the steps of: a. locating the rupture in the pipeor conduit; b. shutting off flow of water in said pipe or conduit sothat flow of water is not under usual water pressure in said conduit; c.inserting an elongate tube having an inflatable end through an accessway into said conduit or pipe in the proximity of said break; and d.inflating the distal end of said tool to stop the flow of residual fluidin said conduit or pipe; and e. effectuating a repair of said pipe orconduit at said break.
 8. A plumber's tool for use in a conduit having abreak therein comprising the combination of an elongate hose configuredmember about 24 inches in length and having one end of thinner wallconstruction than said elongate hose and adapted to be connected to asource of gas and the other end being configured to fit within saidconduit and adapted to be inflated to fill the internal volume of saidconduit and to seal both the internal volume of said conduit and thearea adjacent said break and wherein said elongate hose configuredmember and said other end are of integral construction and including ahand operated bulb air pump member connected to the free end of saidelongate hose configured member and including a one-way shut off valvein operable association with said hand operated bulb air pump member.